gaijindrifter
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Posts posted by gaijindrifter
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Maybe I'm just an incredibly hot dude, but last year even on the coldest of days I was perfectly fine with a single pair of long underwear on under a normal pair of Bonfire snow pants. On top of that with just the snow pants, all vents open, on a sunny day (air temp being subzero mind you) I felt like I was smuggling meatball subs it was so hot x_x
Though this being said I spent all last year in Niigata/Gunma, not sure how much colder it gets up in Hokkaido...
And I guess it depends on where you come from. I'm from Michigan in the states where lifts opened this year before anywhere in Japan (and with NATURAL snow!)
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Originally Posted By: toyama tartIn Toyama!
ttart, do you happen to know a guy by the name of Takuma Fukumori? -
I took the 1kyuu and am confident I got over 80% on the listening, though I doubt I got better than 60% overall. I was, however, lucky enough to had read an article about dairy farming in Japan that helped me answer 4 or 5 vocab questions including:
酪農（らãã®ã†ï¼‰
æºã‚る（ãŸãšã•ã‚る）
飼育（ã—ã„ã）
but I did look back and realize I messed up a few words that I actually knew which is what's gonna end up costing me
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goin somewhere this weekend for sure! don't care if it's fake, just need to get my next fix >_<
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gotta break some eggs to make an omlete
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Hopefully they don't revert back, but even if they do you know the Japanese won't complain. Such a horrid consumer society over here...
But either way, thanks to the mass loads of people on the highways during the weekends most normal roads were pretty bare when my buddy and I were goin boarding last year, and we found that with 'bending' certain rules we could get to ski-jos just as fast (and a couple times even faster) than we could via the highway. I guess the price change is really gonna affect those heading up to Hokkaido from Tokyo or wherever via car, but as long as you aren't heading more than a prefecture or so away then it shouldn't take longer than an hour or so more, assuming you know how to drive and can dodge shitty Japanese drivers, which ends up cheaper in the end anyways
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i recommend doing as i am and finding a ride (i'm assuming you don't drive) and carpooling. if you can speak japanese use mixi.jp, i've had a lot of luck there and met some really cool people. last year i made deals with a couple dudes for free rides to the resorts for in-car english lessons, and then when we got to the resorts they usually even had free/discount passes for me! having trouble finding anyone where i live now, but it is possible if you have the balls to try it
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thinking about buying a new laptop here in Japan actually, and am kinda worried about this OS language issue. has anyone bought the OS here in Japan or bought a computer in Japan with OS 7 and been able to get it into English? I can read Japanese so it's not an issue of being able to use it, but when I go back to the states it'd be nice to be able to switch it to English in case I need to have it looked at or something.
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no knockers here, but ladies are likely to find something they like
thanks everyone for the suggestions! pretty sure my buddy and i are gonna train it up once or twice this season!
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Is anyone else taking the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) this December? If so, how did you (or didn't you) prepare?
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maybe 10 days or so before i board again! won't be niseko but im still pumped!!!
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Thanks RB, I'll definitely have to take you up on that offer! We should exchange info soon as well
And are those shinkansen trips only good for the weekdays, or can I take advantage of that deal on the weekend as well? I've heard about this package, but where do I need to go to get it?
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nah, wouldn't touch it... she screams dead fish... that bitches like none other haha
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Originally Posted By: MamabearNo no...
what's really funny is when really smart people drink heavily and then sit there solving the worlds problems together.
Playback the next day reveals they were actually talking a lot of tosh...but with such authoritative tones.
I find myself a rather intelligent person and last time I got hammered I woke up the next morning in a bear costume next to a sub-5' tall Chinese girl in a French Maid uniform... with no world problems solved.... -
Yeah, it's crazy cause my buddy's girl isn't all that special (inside OR out) and he could do much better for a partner...
i'm sure something will work out. had luck last year with mixi so i may give that a go again this year
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Originally Posted By: noonsaYes, go to the store for fitting. Then buy on Rakuten. Prices on Rakuten are easily 30% cheaper than what you get in the stores.
If you're lucky the prices can be almost in line with US prices!
yeah, that's about right! too bad if you're big-footed looking for a snowboard you're limited to a handful of decent boards. no matter how hard i try i can't get short/wide boards shipped from the states because of restrictions (stores can't ship certain brands overseas)
would kill for a K2 Darkstar in a 154 wide!!!! -
if hakuba doesn't have snow in january, there would be no reason to come to japan haha
yeah hakuba should have a decent cover by then. even most places in gunma have near a meter by then
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Originally Posted By: Go NativeOne of the great burdens for those of us blessed with high intelligence is that we continually find ourselves surrounded by idiots!
obviously not drinking enough
idiots make for the best laughs!!!
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got dragged to karuizawa and it's 10 meter wide goodness x_x
though i must say it was great to be out on snow again, real or not! can't wait til all the minakami ski-jos open!!!
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Originally Posted By: RobBrightWhy should we take you, I mean if your mate's girlfriend hates you, what's to say we won't too?
She doesn't like me because when my friend and her first started going out I would often go out with them and one of her single friends. This particular friend liked me, though I didn't like her in 'that' way, and one night we all got really drunk and something happened between me and said girl. I admit it was a stupid mistake and though me and said girl have recovered from it and were able to be friends again, my friend's girlfriend never seemed to forgive me.
However...
Since she's Japanese, she has to be all 'tatemae' and won't admit that's the reason she doesn't like me, instead she says that she "doesn't like {my buddy} when he's around me" so therefore it's really hard for me to hang around them anymore. Either way, my friend complains DAILY about how much of a drag she is, he's just too lazy to dump her.
That being said, I think I'd be a great guy to take up a bit of your toll/gas costs. I've got tons of interesting stories, and even if you don't wanna hear them I'm great at passing out and being generally quiet when requested haha. I'm not a spectacular boarder, but I follow the "gotta break some eggs to make an omelet" philosophy so I'm up for going wherever, whenever and for however long.
So...
someone...
pleaaaase
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In Japan, people are glad to pay high prices just to have the illusion of quality. I've been boarding here for over a year and I can assure you you won't find a real 'cheap' store anywhere in Japan. You can always do second-hand shopping if you don't care about quality really, but I'll assume you care a bit and recommend you go to stores like Murasaki Sports and Sports Authority, get a feel for what you want (test gear you want), take note of sizes/makes/models, and go online to either yahoo auctions or rakuten and buy your stuff there. I got bindings and a board that were listed for over 100,000 yen in my local murasaki sports for just over 50,000 on rakuten.
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from this year on i don't have a car to drive to the mountains, and though i'd planned to ride up on the weekends with my buddy it turns out his girlfriend hates me and doesn't want me staying at their place anymore (which is the only way i'd be able to catch a ride with my friend). this leaves me stuck with a new board and no way to get out to the mountains besides trains which are just a pain.
so is there anyone in the northern saitama region (i live in honjo-shi on the takasaki line) with room for one more? i'm up for single day to all weekend trips, and i will of course pay my share in gas/tolls. if you can help out or know anyone else that can please let me know!
thanks
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I've always been a huge AC/DC fan, though I admit I don't listen to them much anymore. I'd really like to go, especially considering I live close by in Saitama, but I can think of a lot better ways to spend the 13,000yen or so I'm sure it costs >_<
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can I just have the kinky white boots?
insulated snowboard pants
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
Not saying Michigan has the best ski hills, but even towards the southern part of the state where I'm from you can expect to be driving in the snow come mid-November, and snow starts falling early to mid-November in the northern parts. The season is the same length as Japan's, though it does start earlier and almost never suffers from the same occasional heat spells as Japan does. And if I remember correctly, when I used to go hunting towards Boyne mountain (Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands are 2 of the more popular resorts if you're interested in looking them up) first and second weeks of November as of a couple years ago, the mountains were always already blanketed in a foot or two of natural snow